Purdue fans gear up for men's basketball home opener

Thousands are expected to flock to Mackey Arena Friday night. It's all for the Purdue Men's Basketball home opener. Purdue will take on Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Posted: Nov. 10, 2017 7:02 PM

Updated: Nov. 10, 2017 7:07 PM

Posted By: Samantha Thieke

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) -- Thousands are expected to flock to Mackey Arena Friday night. It's all for the Purdue Men's Basketball home opener. Purdue will take on Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

The Boilermaker faithful said it's an experience they've been anxiously awaiting.

"Boiler up! Hail Purdue!"said fan Colin Zeh.

It's that time of year. Purdue men's baseketball fans are ready to cheer on their team.

But it's about much more than cheering on the team. Fans put a lot of thought into what's getting ready to go down on the hardwood.

"I prepare by, I guess, just kind of figuring out how the other team is and what they're ranked and how we compare to them in terms of like defense and offense," Miller added.

They have faith in their team, which is coming off a season that included a Big Ten regular season Championship and a trip to the NCAA tournament.

"It's the start of a new season," said Zeh. "There's a lot of new possibilities. Definite chance to win the Big Ten. The home opener is just the beginning of all that and it's cool to see what type of team you have."

There's another thing fans are looking forward to.

"This has nothing to do with the Paint Crew or the team, but I'm really excited for the new jumbotron," Miller said.

They hope it will enhance what is already an unforgettable experience.

"I love the huge dome. It makes it really loud and it echoes a lot," said Zeh. "I love the black outs. The atmosphere's just really cool in there. It doesn't seat a lot, but it's so compact and tight that it's really a good home environment."

Whatever the motivation, one thing is for certain.

"It's going to be a great one," said fan Brian Plunkett. "I hope everyone tunes in and enjoys the show."

Nearly 14,000 people are expected to attend. Tip off is set for 8 p.m.